President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said the resolution of the Kashmir dispute as per the pledges of the United Nations was the “only option” to ensure peace in South Asia and asked New Delhi to stop unabated acts of genocide and demographic changes in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Addressing the special session of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Kashmir Solidarity Day, the president said “Pakistan has a clear message for India; Our relations cannot be improved without the resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of UN Security Council.” 

President AJK Sardar Masood Khan, PM Raja Farooq Haider, and members of the Legislative Assembly attended the session held in the capital of Azad Kashmir, Muzaffarabad.

Alvi expressed Pakistan’s strong commitment to the rights of Kashmiris and mentioned that the undeterred stance on Kashmir remained the same for the last 73 years, no matter what the government in place.

“This [Kashmir] is not a matter of territory, but the matter of principle,” he said, adding that Pakistan wanted to take the Kashmir dispute towards its logical end, but only in line with UNSC resolutions.

He mentioned that UNSC in its several resolutions had emphasized holding a free and fair plebiscite in Kashmir with a pledge made with Kashmiris to decide about their destiny in the shape of self-determination.

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Alvi said Pakistan had always raised its voice against the atrocities faced by Kashmiris and also for the rights of Muslims living under difficult conditions in India.

He said both the government and the opposition in Pakistan, setting aside their political differences, always held the same stance on Kashmir. “The ultimate direction in this regard is based on national unity.”

He vowed that any further steps with regard to Kashmir would be made in consultation with the stakeholders, particularly the people of Kashmir.

The president said Pakistan at times asked India to hold discussions on all outstanding issues, including Kashmir. He, however, regretted that no positive response was received.

He recalled the offer of Prime Minister Imran Khan that Pakistan was ready to take two steps forward if India came to the negotiation table and showed intent to resolve the longstanding issue.

He urged India to open its occupied territory for the international observers and media and let them monitor the ongoing worsening situation of human rights.

He said the Kashmiri people had to face the horrendous acts of brutality by Indian security like the pellet gun attacks that left hundreds; including women and children, blind for a lifetime.

The Indian oppression, he said, was on rise in the IIOJK as its forces were subjecting the youth to torture, illegal detentions, and fake encounters.

“These are the same indicators as of Hitler’s era, where the life was made miserable for an ethnic community by setting up genocide camps and inflicting upon them economic hardships,” he added.

Alvi said India was involved in carrying out terrorist activities inside Pakistan and also waged a continuous fake media war as recently exposed through the findings of EU DisInfo Lab.

He said the nefarious designs of the incumbent Indian government pursuing the Hindutva ideology were revealed as it used Pulwama attack for electoral victory.

He mentioned that India also failed to achieve its target in the airstrike in Pakistan’s Balakot area and warned that such a belligerent attitude could lead to a dangerous situation between the two nuclear-armed states.

“Pakistan has always given peace a chance, however, India is repeatedly making mistakes through acts of irresponsible aggression,” he said.

Comprised of the ‘artificial unity of different states’, he said, India “must not take any risk of hostility towards its neighbors”.

The President said Pakistan would continue to extend political, diplomatic, and moral support to Kashmiris in their right to self-determination.

“Pakistan will always stand with Kashmiris and will never let leave them alone in their fight against oppression,” he said.

President Alvi said India was committing a crime by changing the demographics of IIOJK as it revoked Article 370 and 35-A of its Constitution.

“India must be aware that by isolating Kashmiris, it will not succeed in its heinous designs to erase their identity,” he said, adding that the journey of Kashmiris filled with sacrifices could not be wiped out from the annals of history”

The President said Kashmiris would not inch back from their struggle and would also never forget the horrors committed by Indian security forces in the shape of killings and gang rape of women.

He said Pakistan would continue to highlight the stories of oppression and cruelty in IIOJK at international forums, which India was trying to hide by putting a curb on internet and broadband communication.

“We have to show the visual evidence of Indian atrocities to the world to wake up their conscience,” he said, calling upon the United Nations and other watchdogs to take notice of the humanitarian crisis in IIOJK.

President Alvi said India was involved in carrying out terrorist activities inside Pakistan and also waged a continuous fake media war as recently exposed through the findings of EU DisInfo Lab.

He said the nefarious designs of the incumbent Indian government pursuing the Hindutva ideology were revealed as it used Pulwama attack for electoral victory.

He mentioned that India also failed to achieve its target in the airstrike in Pakistan’s Balakot area and warned that such a belligerent attitude could lead to a dangerous situation between the two nuclear-armed states.

“Pakistan has always given peace a chance, however, India is repeatedly making mistakes through acts of irresponsible aggression”

“Pakistan has always given peace a chance, however, India is repeatedly making mistakes through acts of irresponsible aggression,” he said.

Comprised of the ‘artificial unity of different states’, he said, India “must not take any risk of hostility towards its neighbors”.

He said Pakistan would continue to extend political, diplomatic, and moral support to Kashmiris in their right to self-determination.